United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman drove himself throughout his day-long tour of Cox’s Bazar on Saturday, covering 197 kilometres while attending a series of development, environmental and public programmes. His Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon said the Prime Minister landed at Cox’s Bazar Airport in the morning and drove personally throughout the tour before returning to the airport late at night. “Prime Minister Tarique Rahman personally drove the vehicle after arriving at the airport amid heavy rain. After covering about 197 kilometres during the visit, he returned to the airport at night while driving himself,” Rumon said. He said Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed sat in the front seat, while Prime Minister’s wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and Home Minister’s wife Hasina Ahmed were seated in the back. Rumon said the Prime Minister attended a series of programmes across different venues and addressed local people.

Climate activists and experts on Sunday expressed concern that the proposed national budget for FY2026-27 does not allocate sufficient resources to implement long-term climate adaptation plans, urging the government to raise climate spending to at least 3 percent of GDP. Climate expenditure in the proposed budget stands at only 0.76 percent of GDP, far below the level required to address growing climate vulnerabilities, they said at a seminar titled “National Budget 2026–27 and Climate Allocation” at the CIRDAP Auditorium in the capital. The seminar was jointly organised by COAST Foundation, BDCSO Process and EquityBD and moderated by COAST Foundation Executive Director M Rezaul Karim Chowdhury. Speakers called for a separate adaptation plan for coastal water management, with priority given to strengthening embankments, sluice gates, drainage systems and other coastal protection infrastructure, alongside the renovation of old polders and development of climate-resilient structures. They also stressed the need to improve safe water supply and irrigation systems through rainwater harvesting, restoration of water bodies and canals, expansion of water-saving irrigation technologies and promotion of salinity-tolerant agriculture. M Rezaul Karim said climate justice for coastal communities must be reflected in the national budget, highlighting salinity intrusion, river erosion, water scarcity and climate-induced displacement as major challenges. He called for transparent climate financing focused on vulnerable groups and urged wider adoption of rainwater harvesting, pond-based storage, pond-sand filters, salinity-resilient water supply systems and small-scale desalination technologies. Md Ziaul Haque, Additional Director General of the Department of Environment, identified protection from water-related disasters and diseases, and ensuring adequate safe water for drinking and agriculture, as key priorities. He emphasised seawater desalination, pond excavation and rainwater harvesting as important measures to address the drinking water crisis in coastal areas. Microfinance Policy and Advocacy Specialist Md Mosharraf Hossain said improved governance and institutional reforms could help reduce the budget deficit, while strengthening accountability and financial management. RDRS Bangladesh Director Tarek Sayeed Harun said microfinance institutions contribute around 22 percent to GDP but lack adequate recognition and support. Syed Aminul Haque, Director of COAST Foundation, called for a dedicated financing system for MFIs and stronger governance, transparency and issue-based budgeting in climate finance.  

State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Aminul Haque has highlighted the critical role of youth in driving economic growth and the need to further strengthen their contribution. “We are committed to transforming the youth sector, ensuring that training leads to real self-reliance and strengthening skills development to create meaningful employment opportunities,” he said while speaking at a function in the city on Sunday. Above all, the State Minister said their core priority is job creation and supporting the innovative potential of young people, especially young women. The government with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Plan International Bangladesh, inaugurated the National Action Plan (NAP) to operationalise the Youth Entrepreneurship Development Policy 2025. Youth and Sports Secretary Md Mahbub Ul Alam said the government can create only 70 lakh jobs. He said this leaves many educated young people struggling with unemployment, which may contribute to social unrest. “This Action Plan must take a holistic approach. We need to adopt a bottom-up approach and organise workshops in other divisions as well to make the process inclusive,” said the Sports Secretary. Acting Resident Representative, UNDP Bangladesh Sonali Dayaratne said the Youth Entrepreneurship Development Policy 2025 and its National Action Plan provide a timely opportunity to strengthen the ecosystem that enables young entrepreneurs to transform ideas into thriving enterprises. “By expanding access to finance, skills, mentorship, and markets, while ensuring inclusion for young women, rural youth, and other underserved groups, we can unlock the full potential of youth entrepreneurship and contribute to a more resilient and prosperous Bangladesh." Country Director, Plan International Bangladesh Kabita Bose emphasised the importance of inclusivity and equitable access for youth. “We want young people not only to participate, but also to lead these initiatives. We hope this plan will not be city-centric, and ensure the leadership of women, members of ethnic minorities and marginalised communities,” she said. The workshop included technical sessions on the strategic overview of the Youth Entrepreneurship Development Policy 2025, the NAP formulation process, and stakeholder consultations to gather input from diverse actors, ensuring the plan is inclusive and actionable, according to UNDP.    

Jamaat-e-Islami MP Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem on Sunday questioned the postponement of a scheduled discussion in Parliament on push-ins through border and border killings. The discussion was slated to be held under Rule 147 of the Rules of Procedure following a general motion submitted by the MP. According to the parliamentary agenda, the proposal was included for discussion during Sunday's sitting. In his motion, Bin Quasem said that effective measures, including necessary diplomatic and state-level initiatives, were essential to stop the growing trend of push-ins by India's Border Security Force (BSF), border killings and the publicly declared push-in activities by the West Bengal government. He said the issue was of significant public importance and warranted discussion in the Jatiya Sangsad in the interest of protecting the country's sovereignty, citizens' security and human rights. Raising the matter on a point of order at the beginning of sitting, Ahmad said he had been officially informed by the Parliament's adjournment branch that the proposal was accepted for discussion and that copies were sent to the Home Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "However, a short while ago, I was informed by the adjournment branch that due to unavoidable circumstances, the proposal, which had already been accepted and communicated to the relevant ministries, has been postponed," he said. The Jamaat MP questioned what could be more important than the loss of citizens' lives and why such a significant public issue, which he said was not linked to any party agenda, had to be deferred. He also sought clarification on when the discussion would be scheduled again. In response, Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal said the notice was before him and described the postponement as a temporary measure. "The budget session is currently underway and we have time constraints. It is a very fundamental issue. We expect that the matter will be discussed at an appropriate time," he said. Parliament Secretariat sources said the Parliament's Adjournment and Privileges Branch informed Bin Quasem through a letter on Sunday that Speaker had postponed the discussion on the notice due to unavoidable circumstances.    

Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) – Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant – is expected to begin supplying electricity to the national grid by the end of August this year, Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam told Parliament on Sunday. Replying to a starred question from ruling party lawmaker Md Mustafizur Rahman Babul (Jamalpur-3), he said the plant has entered the commissioning and startup phase – the final and most critical stage before commercial power generation begins. Describing the project as a landmark achievement in the country's energy sector, the minister said the RNPP is Bangladesh’s first nuclear power facility and has now reached the concluding phase following years of planning, construction and preparatory work. “The commissioning and startup phase is the final, most complex and critical stage before electricity generation begins,” he said. Faqir Mahbub Anam informed the House that fuel loading activities under Stage-B (Fuel Loading and Physical Startup) of Unit-1 began on April 28, 2026. He said nuclear fuel is currently being installed in the reactor, while boric acid addition, reactor and primary circuit testing, safety verification, sub-criticality tests and other commissioning activities are underway. The next phase will involve bringing the reactor to a critical state, conducting integrated tests of the control and protection systems and operating the reactor at low power levels as part of the startup process, the minister added. According to the project schedule, the reactor’s power output will be increased gradually. Initially, it will operate at around 10-12 percent capacity and later at 35-40 percent capacity to facilitate various technical tests and evaluations. “The reactor power will be raised in phases. Once all required tests and commissioning activities are successfully completed, the generator is expected to be synchronised with the national grid approximately 114 days after the commencement of fuel loading,” the minister said. Expressing optimism about the project’s progress, he said, “According to the contractor’s schedule, we hope that by the end of August 2026 the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will be able to supply around 300 megawatts of electricity to the national grid for the first time.” The 2,400-megawatt Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, being built at Ishwardi in Pabna with Russian assistance, is expected to play a transformative role in strengthening Bangladesh’s long-term energy security and diversifying its power generation mix.

The Traffic Division of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has filed 1,831 cases for traffic rule violations across different parts of the capital. The drives were conducted on Saturday, said DMP Deputy Commissioner (Media) NM Nasir Uddin on Sunday. During the operations, 65 cases were filed in the Ramna zone, 155 in Lalbagh, 375 in Motijheel, 256 in Wari, 132 in Tejgaon, 305 in Mirpur, 346 in Uttara and 197 in Gulshan. The traffic police also dumped 301 vehicles and towed away another 215 for various violations. The DMP Traffic Division said such drives will continue to maintain discipline on the roads of Dhaka.

Four more children have died showing symptoms consistent with measles in the 24 hours until 8:00am on Sunday, raising Bangladesh’s combined tally of confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths to 652. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has classified the latest deaths as suspected measles fatalities. With the latest update, the number of suspected measles deaths has risen to 560, while the number of laboratory-confirmed measles deaths remains unchanged at 92. A total of 1,052 new suspected measles cases were reported during the 24-hour period, taking the cumulative number of suspected cases nationwide to 85, 951 Meanwhile, 75 new confirmed measles cases were recorded, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed infections to 10,323. Since March 15, a total of 70,579 patients with suspected measles have been hospitalised across the country, of whom 66, 841 have recovered, according to DGHS data.

Post and Telecommunication, ICT Division and Ministry of Science and Technology on Sunday told Parliament that the government has continued expanding financial and institutional support for young scientists, researchers and innovation-driven activities across the country. Responding to a question of Selina Sultana (Women Seat-35), the minister said during the 2025-26 fiscal year, a total of 4,282 researchers received grants amounting to Tk 25.45 crore under the National Science and Technology (NST) Fellowship programme. The Ministry of Science and Technology has been providing NST fellowships to students and researchers pursuing MS, MPhil, PhD and postdoctoral studies in science and technology-related disciplines at universities, he said. The minister said the ministry is also encouraging science-based higher education and research through grants for Research and Development (R&D) projects aimed at developing new technologies and improving the quality of scientific research. In the current fiscal year, 358 scientists and researchers received Tk 3.97 crore in grants under the R&D programme, he added. The ministry has also provided Tk 30 lakh in grants to 30 science-based organisations and institutions during FY2025-26 to support scientific activities, development programmes, journal publications and the organisation of seminars, symposiums, workshops and exhibitions. Special research grants are being provided to teachers, researchers and young scientists from public and private universities, as well as researchers from various public and private organisations, to promote scientific research and technological innovation, he said. He said the government has undertaken a range of initiatives to encourage research and innovation among young scientists and facilitate the development and commercialisation of their projects. These include financial and technical support for innovative research through universities, research institutions and science-based organisations, as well as the organisation of science fairs, innovation exhibitions, seminars, workshops and training programmes. The minister said the National Institute of Biotechnology, under the Ministry of Science and Technology, is providing training, research facilities and access to laboratories for students, researchers and young scientists. He added that the institute regularly offers research training, internships, thesis support and access to modern biotechnology laboratories for undergraduate and postgraduate students, contributing significantly to the development of skilled researchers in the country. Highlighting support for research institutions, the minister said the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research approved 143 projects with allocations of Tk 6.62 crore in FY2024-25, while 94 projects received allocations amounting to Tk 6.19 crore in FY2025-26. He also informed the House that the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission awarded 15 special research grant projects to its scientists during FY2025-26 with a total budget allocation of Tk 80.75 lakh. Once implemented, these projects are expected to make significant contributions to agriculture, food production, healthcare, nuclear medicine, public health, and science and technology sectors, he said.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Sunday told Parliament that former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, who was arrested recently in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in connection with corruption cases, will be brought back to Bangladesh soon. “An official extradition request will be sent to the UAE authorities through diplomatic channels by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Central Bureau (NCB) of Bangladesh Police will coordinate with Abu Dhabi to bring him back to Bangladesh very soon,” he said. Delivering a statement under the Rule 300 in the House, the Home Minister said the government of Bangladesh was informed through an email sent on June 12, 2026 by the Director General of the Federal Criminal Police of Abu Dhabi under the UAE Ministry of Interior that Benazir Ahmed, an accused in corruption cases, had been arrested by the UAE police. Citing that the former police official is currently accused in various cases filed under the Penal Code, the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Bangladesh Passport Order, he said the necessary case documents, arrest warrants and investigation-related papers required for extradition are ready, while the Ministry of Home Affairs has prepared and approved the extradition proposal, to bring him back to Bangladesh very soon. Under the law, a formal extradition request must be sent through diplomatic channels within 30 days from the date of arrest, he said. “This is a historic success for Bangladesh Police. Through this, we will be able to come out of the culture of impunity, InshaAllah,” said Salahuddin. He said the development would also reassure the nation that no one is above the law, no matter how powerful the offender may be. “It would help establish the rule of law in the country and remain a milestone in Bangladesh's history,” he added. Earlier, Bangladesh Police requested the Interpol to issue a Red Notice against Benazir Ahmed and then Interpol requested the UAE Ministry of Interior to arrest him, said the minister.  

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj on Sunday said the government has introduced a new decentralised system for teacher transfers to make the process transparent, accountable and free from corruption. The teacher transfer process had long been known as a major area of syndicate control and corruption, which stood as a significant obstacle to improving the quality of education, he said while addressing the Validation Workshop on the Bangladesh Education Sector Analysis (ESA) 2026, organised by GPE and UNICEF at a hotel in the capital. Bobby Hajjaj said that under the directive of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and the initiative of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, the teacher transfer process has been decentralised and brought to the local level. Under the new policy, separate committees are being formed at the upazila, district, divisional and city corporation levels to review transfer applications at regular intervals, he said. At the upazila level, a four-member committee headed by the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) will scrutinise applications, while the Upazila Primary Education Officer will issue transfer orders based on the committee’s recommendations, he added. Besides, similar five- or six-member committees will operate at the district, divisional and city corporation levels to examine transfer applications and issue transfer orders, he said. Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon attended the programme as the chief guest. Officials from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, relevant departments and UNICEF were also present at the event.